Ipecac at Home-A Health Hazard?

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Abstract
Syrup of ipecac is an excellent drug for treatment of poisonings. It is universally recommended that ipecac be kept in homes where there are young children but a risk/benefit analysis of this recommendation has never been performed. Two cases of alkali ingestion in which ipecac syrup was inappropriately administered at home were reported. These demonstrated the need to reexamine current policies of dispensing and distributing ipecac. Even though most families would probably benefit from having ipecac syrup at home, it must be questioned whether ipecac should be universally prescribed. Variables such as level of understanding, social disruption, and access to pharmacies and emergency rooms should be considered.

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